Mountain Equipment
Baltoro Women’s Jacket
£230 448g (UK 12) construction, traceability, warmth, cut, features nothing Shell: Drilite Loft 20D nylon, PFC-free DWR Lining: recycled downproof nylon Insulation: duck, 90/10, 700 fill power, 148g; Down Codex Sizes: 8-16 (men S-XXL) mountain-equipment.co.uk
Mountain Equipment is king of down, through its pioneering Down Codex programme and ongoing innovation in product design. The big shout here, with fresh-to-the-range Baltoro, is a new (and unique to ME) construction technique developed specifically for down clothing. It’s a double- layer, offset-baffle construction with reflective internal scrim, and it’s more wind-resistant and warmer than stitch-through construction but less bulky than box wall, thereby offering a great compromise between the two. The scrim has a coating that reflects body heat and forms part of the baffle structure.
ME teams it with its own Drilite Loft, a nylon fabric with water-resistant coating on the back (check out the blog on why the brand considers water resistant fabrics are better than treating the down), and recycled downproof nylon as lining. For me, the new construction works: this jacket has more loft and warmth, and a lower weight, than I expected for 148g of 700 fill. Apart from Salomon’s jacket, which has significant quantities of synthetic insulation, this has notably more insulation than the others in the test for less than 100g more pack weight. Yet bulk is surprisingly low: I managed to cram it into its own side pocket to make it rucksack-friendly.
The cut accommodates layers and curves, length just covers my backside, sleeves are well-proportioned. Pockets are plentiful: two zipped side, one external chest and an internal mesh stuff pocket that is useful for gloves, beanie and gear that needs to stay warm. The two-way plastic-coated front zip is chunky and durable; shame there’s no microfibre chinguard at the top against breath condensation. The hood is über-warm and adjustable, but it doesn’t move with the head. Baltoro is a top choice for winter rest stops and cold camping, and provides plenty of down for your dosh.